Monarda plant named ‘Balbalmac’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Monarda  plant named ‘Balbalmac’, characterized by its deep lilac-colored inflorescences, dark green-colored foliage, good powdery mildew resistance, and moderately vigorous, upright-compact growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Monarda didyma.

Variety denomination: ‘Balbalmac’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Monardaplant botanically known as Monarda didyma and hereinafter referred to bythe cultivar name ‘Balbalmac’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program inGuadalupe, Calif. The objective of the breeding program was thedevelopment of Monarda cultivars that are early flowering, have goodpowdery mildew resistance, and a compact growth habit.

The new Monarda cultivar is an irradiation-induced sport of Balmy Purple‘Balbalmurp’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,561, characterized by its darkpurple-colored inflorescences, dark green-colored foliage having goodpowdery mildew resistance, and moderately vigorous, upright-compactgrowth habit. The irradiation occurred on May 2011. The new cultivar wasdiscovered as a side shoot and selected during September 2012 in acontrolled environment in Guadalupe, Calif.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings sinceSeptember 2012 in Guadalupe, Calif. and Elburn, Ill. has demonstratedthat the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of thecharacteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained throughsuccessive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedlyobserved and can be used to distinguish ‘Balbalmac’ as a new anddistinct cultivar of Monarda plant:

-   -   1. Deep lilac-colored inflorescences;    -   2. Dark green-colored foliage;    -   3. Good powdery mildew resistance; and    -   4. Moderately vigorous, upright-compact growth habit.

Of the many commercially available Monarda cultivars, the most similarin comparison to the new cultivar is the parent Balmy Purple‘Balbalmurp’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,561. However, in side by sidecomparisons, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of‘Balbalmurp’ in at least the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have an inflorescence color        different from plants of ‘Balbalmurp’; and    -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have lighter colored stigmas than        plants of ‘Balbalmurp’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in thephotographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detaileddescription, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Balbalmac’. Theplants were grown in 1.5 gallon containers for approximately two monthsin a greenhouse and 11 weeks outdoors in West Chicago, Ill. Plants weregiven two pinches prior to transplant.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habitof ‘Balbalmac’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual inflorescence of‘Balbalmac’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is TheR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,2007 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significanceare used. The color values were determined in July 2014 under naturallight conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants producedfrom cuttings from stock plants and grown under conditions comparable tothose used in commercial practice. The plants were grown utilizing asoilless growth medium in one-gallon containers for approximately twomonths in a greenhouse and two months outdoors in Elburn, Ill. Plantswere given one pinch prior to transplant and one pinch two weeks aftertransplant. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 45°F. to 65° F. (7.2° C. to 18.3° C.) during the day and approximately 35°F. to 45° F. (1.7° C. to 7.2° C.) during the night. No supplementallighting was provided. Measurements and numerical values representaverages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Monarda didyma cultivar Balbalmac.-   Parentage:    -   -   Parent.—Balmy Purple ‘Balbalmurp’, U.S. Plant Pat. No.            22,561.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 7 to 10 days.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 28 to 35            days.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous white to brown in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 12 to 14 weeks from a            rooted cutting to finish in a 15 cm pot.        -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately vigorous,            upright-compact.        -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:            Approximately 26.0 cm. Width: Approximately 32.5 cm.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching. Pinching enhances lateral            branching. Quantity of main branches per plant:            Approximately 4.        -   Branch.—Shape: Square in cross section. Strength: Strong.            Length to base of inflorescence: Approximately 22.0 cm.            Diameter: Approximately 5.0 mm. Length of central internode:            Approximately 2.3 cm. Texture: Densely pubescent on edges.            Color of young stems: 146C. Color of mature stems: 146B,            becoming woody 200B with age.-   Foliage description:    -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per branch:            Approximately 10. Fragrance: Strong, sage-like. Form:            Simple. Arrangement: Opposite.        -   Leaves.—Aspect: Perpendicular to obtuse angle to stem.            Shape: Ovate to Lanceolate. Margin: Serrate. Apex: Acute.            Base: Rounded. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature            leaf: Approximately 6.5 cm. Width of mature leaf:            Approximately 3.1 cm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces:            Slightly rugose, densely pubescent. Color of upper surface            of young and mature foliage: Closest to N137A with venation            of 146C. Color of lower surface of young and mature foliage:            Closest to 137B with venation of 146D.        -   Petiole.—Length: Approximately 8.0 mm. Diameter:            Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent. Color:            146B.-   Flowering description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Balbalmac’ is freely flowering under            outdoor growing conditions blooming from late spring through            summer.        -   Lastingness of individual flower.—Approximately 5 to 7 days.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   General description.—Type: Dense terminal verticillasters,            not persistent, facing upward and outward. Quantity of            inflorescences per plant: Approximately 18. Fragrance:            Strong, sage-like. Depth or height of inflorescence:            Approximately 4.0 cm. Width of inflorescence: Approximately            5.5 cm, expands to approximately 7.0 cm as innermost flowers            senesce. Quantity of fully-open flowers per inflorescence:            Approximately 40.        -   Peduncle.—Shape: Square in cross section. Strength: Strong.            Aspect: Erect. Length: Approximately 1.0 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 4.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent on edges.            Color: 146B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Type.—Single, bilabiate.        -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 2 to 3 days for bud to            progress from first color to fully open flower.        -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Tubular, upper portion            strongly recurved. Length: Approximately 1.9 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 1.5 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent. Color: N81            A.        -   Corolla.—Shape: Two lips, upper lip hooded; lower lip, a            single lobe; lips fused. Depth (height): Approximately            3.9 cm. Width: Approximately 6.0 mm. Length: Approximately            1.8 cm.        -   Upper lip.—Shape: Linear, hooded. Aspect: Erect. Margin:            Entire. Apex: Two acute tips. Length: Approximately 1.3 cm.            Width: Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture of inner surface:            Glabrous. Texture of outer surface: Densely pubescent. Color            of inner surface when first and fully open: N80B. Color of            outer surface when first and fully open: N80A.        -   Lower lip.—Shape: Oblanceolate. Margin: Entire. Apex:            Notched lobe at apex about 4.0 mm in length and 1.0 mm in            width. Length: Approximately 1.7 cm. Width: Approximately            6.0 mm. Texture of upper surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower            surface: Densely pubescent. Color of upper surface when            first and fully open: N80A. Color of lower surface when            first and fully open: Between N80A and N80B.        -   Corolla tube.—Length: Approximately 1.9 cm. Width:            Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture of inner surface: Glabrous.            Texture of outer surface: Densely pubescent. Color: N80A.        -   Calyx.—Shape: Tubular. Length: Approximately 9.0 mm.            Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: 5, fused except for acuminate            apex of 1.0 mm in length having an entire margin. Length:            Approximately 9.0 mm. Width: Less than 1.0 mm. Texture of            inner surface: Sparsely pubescent. Texture of outer surface:            Densely pubescent. Color of inner surface: 145B with tips of            187A. Color of outer surface: 145A with tips of 187A.        -   Bracts.—Quantity: Approximately 25 per inflorescence in            multiple whorls. Shape: Ovate to narrowly ovate. Length of            larger: Approximately 4.5 cm. Width of larger: Approximately            2.0 cm. Length of smaller: Approximately 1.0 cm. Width of            smaller: Less than 1.0 mm. Texture of upper and lower            surfaces: Densely pubescent. Color of upper surface of            larger bracts: Closest to 139A with center of base of 139D.            Color of lower surface of larger bracts: 137B. Color of            upper and lower surfaces of smaller bracts: 139D with tips            of 187A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 2 per            flower, dorsifixed. Filament length: Approximately 3.7 cm.            Filament length of fixed portion: Approximately 1.5 cm.            Filament color: NN155D, opaque with an overlay of N81B near            anther. Anther shape: Narrowly elliptic to oblong. Anther            length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Anther color: 83C. Pollen            amount: Moderate. Pollen color: NN155D. Gynoecium: Pistil            quantity: 1 per flower. Pistil length: Approximately 3.9 cm.            Stigma shape: Cleft, two-parted. Stigma length:            Approximately 2.0 mm. Stigma color: 90A. Style length:            Approximately 3.6 cm. Style color: NN155D, opaque with an            overlay of 90A near stigma. Ovary length: Approximately            1.0 mm. Ovary color: 158B.-   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has    been observed.-   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests    common to Monarda has not been observed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Monarda plantnamed ‘Balbalmac’, substantially as herein shown and described.